Method of spinning



J. J. M CANN METHOD OF SPINNING Filed Aug. 2. 1939 Fxg z v v I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 4, 1942 METHOD OF SPINNING John J. McCann, Lowell, Mass,assignor of fortynine per cent to Lawrie L. Witter, Boston, Mass.

Application August 2, 1939, Serial No. 287,993 Claims. (01. 57 -156)This invention relates to a novel method of' spinning a continuousstrand of fibrous-material into twisted yarn of superior quality and forconducting and winding the finished strand to and into suitable compactunits. The invention also concerns a-superior system of drafting andtwisting and in cooperation therewith novel pot spin ning and yarnguiding mechanism, all for the purpose of producing a superior productand increasing production.

Continuous woolen yarn drafting is commonly practiced by placing a falseand strengthening twist in the strand while drafting or stretching it.

whereby to render the same more uniform, all of which false twist comesout of the strand before it is given the final twist and wound, asdescribed in Patent No. 806,086. My invention contemplates theproduction of a superior yarn by so rotating or turning the strand onits axis as to effect a strengthening-sealing twist therein to seal thethin portions against further elongation in the drawfield, andthereafter twisting the strand while so supporting it that such twistfollows along the strand to the said rotating or turning position in thedrawfield where it unites with or blends into the strengtheningsealingtwist effected by the said turning action. The production of a yarnresulting from these cooperating functions comprises one object of theinvention.

The apparatus includes two or more relatively spaced drawing units foralternately or successively gripping and releasing the yarn as it passesfrom the twisting tube to the twisting and winding mechanism. Theseunits permit the yarn twist to pass therethrough from th windingmechanism upwardly to the said sealing twist and permit the yarn withits resultant twist to pass downwardly therethrough to the twisting andwinding mechanism where it is wound into suitable units, the sealingtwist thereby not only being retained in the final product but beingfurther-. more augmented by the cooperating twisting action of thetwisting and winding mechanism. The tube illustrated is readilyremovable and it may be slotted for convenience in threading the yarntherethrough, and cooperating therewith is a thread guide for receivingand conducting the yarn as it passes from the drawing units.

An important feature of the invention relates to a novel method andmechanism for automatically threading and rethrea-Ting the yarn into aspinning pot by means of a current of air diiii into. The-yarn passesthrough the channel into the spinning pot and, in a preferred form ofthe invention, the current of air is induced by a fan attached to thespinning pot, Also on and cooperating with the guide is a reciprocatorytube arranged removably to support a bobbin extending into the pot andserving to direct the yarn during the spinning operation and thereafterto receive the yarn cheese in collapsed form thereonto, the bobbin beingremovable'and replaceable by an empty bobbin. The production of such animproved method and apparatus for the purpose described comprises afurther object of the invention.

These and other features and advantages of my invention will be morereadily understood and appreciated from the following description of apreferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration andshown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, partially in section, of anapparatusembodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the twisting tube anddrawing units,

Fig. 3 is a detail view taken on line 3-3 of Fig.

and

Fig. 7 is a top end view of the guiding tube. a The strand it to be spuninto yarn passes from the delivery rolls l2 through a drawing field andto and through a twisting tube l5 loosely resting by gravity within anouter bushing i6 rotatably rected through the guiding channel and soconfined as to draw the yarn into and through the channel when itsleading end is introduced theresupported within bracket arms 18, a whirl20 being secured to the bushing between the arms by a set screw 2|. thetube are two relatively spaced strand feeding and drawing units eachcomprising av roll 5 with a continuous circular periphery and acooperating roll 4 having two cooperating peripheral portions 6 and twoslabbed ofi pornans--=1.

The strand l0 passes over a thread guide'tlinto g the tube l5 inposition to be engaged and teetered by two pins 9 carried on the top endof the tube, these pins causing a rapid vibrating or trembling action onthe strand and aiding the drafting thereof. This action by the pins iscommonly called teetering. After passing from the tube,

which turns the strand on its axis and places Fig. 6 is a top end viewof the twisting tube,

Beneath and in alignment with strengthening-sealing twist therein, thestrand is gripped continuously by the drawing units, the units beingdriven synchronously by a gear II and each unit being adapted to gripthe strand while the other unit is released therefrom. While I haveherein illustrated two drawing units 4-5 operating alternately to gripand release the yarn strand, it will be apparent that more than two suchunits can be employed, the units being driven synchronously and being soconstructed that the strand is never fully released but is gripped byone unit at all times.

Carried by a bracket arm 3 beneath the units 4-5 is a tubular guide 22having a funnel-like top end 23; a partition 24 being provided withinthe tube and dividing it into two channels, the top end of the partition24 being tapered outwardly as shown in Fig, 7 to cooperate with thetapering portion 23 in guiding the strand into the channel. One channel21 is open throughout the length of the tube for receiving andconducting the strand therethrough with a. minimum of ballooning as theyarn passes through the tube. The plate 24 passes through the center ofthe tube which is also the center of the axis about which the yarnspins. Since the spinning yarn cannot pass beyond the plate toward theother channel, the ballooning tendency in that direction will bedefinitely eliminated and, since ballooning is restricted, the strandwill remain substantially at the center of the spinning axis where thereis a minimum of centrifugal action. Thus ballooning of the yarn withinthe tube is substantially eliminated while leaving the channel '21 fullyopen to the passage of the yarn and a conducting air current hereinafterdescribed. Also cooperating with the partition to restrict yarnballooning is a limited opening 33 at the bottom end of the tube 25. Theother channel is closed at its top end by the top end of the partition(Figs. 1 and 7) and is adapted to receive a suitable pipe 31 thereintoand through which steam can be introduced into this closed channel. Thesteam is passed downwardly into the spinning pot 32 to condition theyarn therein whereby eliminating subsequent steaming operation to setthe twist in the yarn, it being understood that ordinarily spinning andsteaming are not performed simultaneously.-

Telescoped over the bottom end portion of the guide 22 is a tube 25having a head 26 attached to mechanism for reciprocating the tubelongitudinally on the guide. The bottom end of the passage within thetube 25 is funnel shaped so that the exit opening 33 for the yarn islarge enough to allow the yarn to be drawn through by an air current butis so restricted in size that ballooning of the yarn is limited to aminimum. This tube is adapted to receive and removably support a bobbin28 affixed to a tube 29, the top end of the tube 29 projecting outwardlyof the bobbin and having a detent 30 for engaging within a recess 3| ofthe tube 25 to hold the bobbin fixed thereto.

It may be explained that ballooning or whirling of the strand about acenter causes tension on the strand 'due to air resistance andfrictional resistance if the strand comes in contact with a wall orother surface that is not at or near its spinning axis. This resistanceis very objectionable and particularly since (1) it causes the outerlayers of fiber to be wrapped spirally about the strand wherebyproducing a poor and ragged yarn, and thus prevents the strand frombeing twisted around its own axis in a manner-to produce a round,uniform nd high-grade yarn and (2) since the air resis ,ance increasesapproximately in proportion to the square of the velocity, theballooning tension set up by the resistance limits the speed of twistingand results in breakage of fiber and of the strand itself. Confining 32arranged to be rotated by a whirl 34. A cover 35 is secured to the potby a ring 36 and has an opening th'erethrough for receiving the bobbin,the bobbin substantially filling the opening. The yarn strand passesdownwardly through the guide 22, tube 25, and bobbin 28 and into the pct32, and in order more effectively to direct and conduct the strandtherealong I cause a current of air to pass therethrough in thedirection of movement of the strand. This air current is efficiently andeconomically produced by a fan 38 attached to the bottom of the pot andhaving its blades 40 located in position to draw air downwardly andoutwardly through the openings 42. The fixed guide 22 with its partition24 ends short of the spinning pot 32 and that portion of the strandwhich extends from the end of the guide 22 into the spinning pot and istwisted simultaneously with and solely by the centrifugal winding of thestrand by and within the pot.

As illustrated in the drawing, I prefer that the path of movementof thestrand from the twister tube l5 to the winding position at the spinningpot shall be in a straight and substantially vertical line. Sucharrangement utilizes gravity in the feeding of the strand through thedrawing rolls and into and through the guiding tube and results in themost efiicient handling of the strand and particularly facilitates freemovement of the twist along the strand. My novel treatment of the strandto control ballooning thereof and conduct the strand, together with anair current, through the strand guiding channel and directly into thespinning pot makes this novel and eflicient handling of the strandpossible.

The operation of this mechanism is substantially as follows: The surfacespeed of the drawing units 4-5 is somewhat faster than the surface speedof the rolls I2 whereby stretching or drafting the strand therebetween,the pins 9 affecting a teetering action on the strand. The rotary tube l5 gives a strengthening-sealing twist to the strand in a drawfieldbetween the gripped positions l2 and 4-5 whereby twisting andstrengthening the strand at the weaker spots and causing elongation totake place atthe thicker spots, this twist concentrating at the pins 9and diminishing therefrom to the'rolls l2.

If the spinning pot 32 is rotated in the same direction as the tube I5,the pot and tube place twist in the same direction in the strand up tothe delivery rolls l2. In this case it is necessary that the rotaryspeed of the pot shall be substantially greater than the rotary speed ofthe tube whereby not only to prevent the tube from taking out of thestrand such twist as passes from the pot upwardly through the rolls 4-5but furthermore to secure a relatively greater concentration of thetwist below the pins 9 than above such pins. The rotation of the tubecontinuously transfers twist upwardly from the greater twistconcentration past the pins 3 from the false up the strand andcooperates with the twisting action of the rotary tube to provide twistin the strand like and blending into that portion of the strengtheningand sealing twist above the pins 9, the twist being permitted to passthrough the units 4-5 when they are in the non-gripping position. Whenone unit 4-5 releases its grip on the strand, the twist in the strandpasses through such unit to the other unit and, when the other unitreleases its grip, this twist passes,

further therethrough along the strand.

If the spinning pot is rotated in a direction I opposite to the tube IS,the strand is twisted up to the pins 9 in the same direction as the potrotation, the pot spinning twist traveling up the strand and cooperatingwith the twisting action of the rotary tube to augment that portion ofthe strengthening and sealing twist effected by the tube and locatedbelow the pins 9. The twist above the pins 9 is in'the oppositedirection and is continuously reversed at the pins 9, the entire strandbelow the delivery rolls [2 being continuously under twist.

It will be apparent that in either case the passing of the pot spinningtwist upwardly beyond the units 4-5 so reinforces thestrengthening-sealing twist below the pins 9 that this portion of thestrand remains more tightly twisted and results in most of the draftingor elongating of the yarn taking place between the pins 9 and the rollsl2, and this lower portion of the strengthening-sealing twist remains aspermanent twist as the yarn passes through the apparatus. In continuousspinning operations heretofore known the strand is given a false twistwhich is effected by supporting the strand at two spaced points within adrawfield and twisting the strand intermediately of such points. Thistwisting is termed false for the reason that none of such twist passesinto the strand beyond either of the points nor does any permanent twistpass into this field. In my apparatus one of these points comprises theunits 4-5 which permit the passage of twist from the spinning pot intothe drawfield whereby the strengthening and sealing twist thereinbecomes permanent twist due to the twisting cooperation of the spinningpot. The centrifugal and teetering action resulting from the twisting ofthe strand by the tube l5 causes the fibers of the yarn to projectoutwardly of the strand whereby producing a very desirable soft, bulkyand wooly effect, and such effect is permanently retained in yarnproduced by my method since the strengthening and sealing twist is notallowed to come out of the strand. In yarn produced by twisting methodthis desirable effect and these characteristics are lost since the falsetwist which holds these characteristics is allowed to go entirely out ofthe strand which is then re-formed by the subsequent permanent twistingoperation thereon. It will be readily apparent that the permanent twistproduced by my method adds materially to the quality of the product inmaking it more uniform and of substantially stronger texture.

From the units 4-5 the yarn passes into and through the guide 22 andinto the spinning pot, and the yarn is materiallyaided in this passageby the constant stream of air induced by the fan 38. While the partition24 serves to confine the channel 21 to a relatively small and freepassage and prevent objectionable ballooning of the yarn passingtherethrough it has no obyarn and air.

- with the yarn. During the spinning operation the tube 25 together withthe bobbin is reciprocated vertically whereby building up a cheese ofyarn within the rotating pot as will be understood. When the cheese hasreached the desired size, the bobbin is lowered into the pot and themechanism stopped. The cheese thereupon collapses onto the bobbin and isremoved vertically from the pot, the pot cover and the guide 22 beingmounted for convenient removal for permitting this operation. An emptybobbin is then applied to the tube 25 and the operation repeated. Itwill be understood that the, bobbin can be any suitable tubular elementadapted to receive the cheese.

The twisting tube I5 is rotated by its frictional engagement with thebushing l6 and may be freely removed therefrom. It will also be notedthat the tube is slotted at 44 whereby to permit quick threading of thetube by passing the thread laterally through the slot. In Figs, 2 and 6this slot 44 is shown as passing straight up the tube [5 until itreaches the flanged portion where it.

is cut at an angle at 45 whereby leavingan inner wall 46 which acts toprevent the yarn from passing outwardly through the slot, regardless ofthe direction of rotation. If a small end portion of the strand isallowed to protrude from the bottom end of the tube, when the tube isreplaced after threading, the upper unit 4-5 will engage this end andpull the strand through. the tube and, together with the aid of the aircurrent, rethread the strand downwardly to and into the spinning pot.

A further and important feature of my invention relates to a novel andrapid threading of strands, resulting in the elimination ofimperfections in the fabric and permitting operation ofthe machine atspeeds substantially greater than has been heretofore possible. Inspinning mechanism heretofore known it has been necessary to limit theoperation to a speed at which broken strands could be pieced up withoutinterrupting the operation of the machine and such pieced up ends haveproduced objectionable piecing and imperfections in the final product.The quick and semi-automatic threading permitted by my improvedmechanism eliminates such necessity for speed limitation and therebymakes great increase of production possible. When a strand l0 breaks inmy machine the operator drops the loose end of the strand by gravityinto and through the tube l5 whereupon the upper unit -5 engages suchend and together with the lower units 4-5 pulls it downwardly into thepassage 21 wherein the current of air'effected by the fan 38 threads andcarries the strand downwardly through the passage and into the spinningpot. Thus rethreading is effected without requiring the uniting of thetwo broken ends and without limiting the speed of the machine, where-.by producingthe novel features above recited.

substantially vertical line permits the pot spinning twist to passdirectly and uninterruptedly up the strand to the nip of the lower rolls4-5 without touching any guide or element which would'obstruct suchaction. It is apparent that such action can take place only by theemploy- I ment of a spinning pot as the twisting and winding unit. .Thesubstitution of ring or cap spinning would generally require theemployment of a centrally disposed guide or eyelet above the winding andtwisting unit and such guide would seriously impede the upward passageof the twist along the strand as will be clearly apparent. Theemployment of a spinning pot in this combination is therefore essentialto the full enjoyment of my invention. Attention is furthermore calledto the fact that the employment of a spinning pot and the straight linepath of movement of the strand makes the'automatic threading of thestrand possible. This arrangement and the automatic threading alsoprovides for the rapid piecing up of the strands which in turn makeshigh speed operation of the front rolls 4-5 possible.

It may be desirable to twist the strand without drafting and/or withlimited or no teetering action. This can be accomplished by runningwithout draft and/or with limited or no action of the twister tube I5 onthe strand. In cases where no action by the twister tube I5 is desired,the strand will be fed vertically through the center of the tube withoutrotating the tube or the tube may be removed, spinning or twisting beingperformedwholly by the rotary action of the pot spinner 32. The twistgiven to the strand by the pot spinner travels up through the units 4-5.However, in some cases, it is not necessary that the winding twist shallpass upwardly through the units and in these cases any well known typeof feed rolls can be substituted for the units 4-5. This twisting actionplaces and leaves the desired twist in the yarn as it is wound bycentrifugal force within the pot. It should also be noted that thereduction of the opening through the tube 25 at 33, together with theplate 24, has enabled me to more than double the rotary speed of the pot32, this result being due-to the fact that such construction verysubstantially reduces ballooning of the yarn. In mechanism which I haveconstructed and operated in accordance with the invention as hereindisclosed, I have rotated the tube I5 at approximately 2,700 R. P. M.and the pot spinner 32 at approximately 6,000 R. P. M.

Should the continuous delivery of the strand to the pot spinner 32 bestopped, the rotation of the pot would wind the yarn therein around thebobbin and form an obstruction on the bobbin preventing its upwardmovement through the cover 35. In such emergency, the detent 34 willpermit the bobbin to pull free from the tube '25 and thereby preventdamage to the a paratus.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method of spinning a continuous strand of fibrous material, whichconsists in moving the strand longitudinally along a predetermined path,teetering and turning on its own axis a portion of the moving strand atan intermediate point in said path while holding the strandsubstantially above the intermediate point and holding the strand bysuccessively gripping and releasing it at a plurality of relativelyspaced points below said intermediate point in such sequence that thestrand is always gripped at one of said relatively spaced points, andsimultaneously therewith twisting the strand below and extendingupwardly into said turned portion of the strand.

2. The method defined in claim 1 in which the twisting of the strandbelow said gripped points is in a direction corresponding to and at aspeed substantially in excess of the turning speed at said intermediatepoint and wherein the strand is wound into a unit simultaneously withthe twisting.

3. A method of twisting a continuous strand of fibrous material into acheese collapsed onto a bobbin, which consists in passing the strandlongitudinally through the bobbin, twisting the strand by the action ofcentrifugal force into a cheese outside the axial position of the bobbinas the strand emerges from the bobbin, disposing the bobbin intoreceiving position within the cheese, and thereafter stopping thecentrifugal action whereupon the cheese collapses onto the bobbin, thebobbin and cheese forming a removable unit. l

4. A method of spinning a continuous strand of fibrous material, whichconsists in moving the strand longitudinally along a predetermined path,gripping the strand at relatively spaced strand feeding and deliveringportions of the path, drafting the strand between said portions whilesubjecting it to a teetering action, turning the strand on its axis byforce applied thereto intermediately of said portions, twisting thestrand and winding it into a cheese simultaneously by subjecting thestrand to centrifugal action after it leaves the turning position, andconfining the strand against ballooning along a portion of its pathbeyond the turning position.

5. A method of spinning a continuous strand of material, which consistsin passing the strand through a drawfield to a winding position,imposing a strengthen'ing-sealingtwist and teetering action on thestrand in the drawfield, and imposing a further twisting action on thestrand beyond and extending into the drawfield and cooperating with thesaid strengthening-sealing twist.

6. The method defined in claim 5 plus the step of winding the strandinto a cheese by centrifugal action as the strand leaves the drawfield,aiding movement of the strand from the drawfield to the winding positionby acurrent of air confined with the strand within a limited channel,and effecting said further. twisting action simultaneously and incooperation with said winding of the strand.

7. A method of twisting a continuous strand and winding it into a cheesewhich consists in subjecting the forward end portion or the strand torotary centrifugal action at the winding position whereby to twist thestrand along its path of movement to such position and to wind thestrand into a cheese, and simultaneously therewith'assisting the passageof the strand to such position by confining it within a relatively smallpassage in said path and directing a current of air through the passagetoward said position.

8. The method defined in claim plus the step of so confining the strandwithin a channel between the draft ing and the winding positions thatballooning of the strand therein is restricted, and aiding movement ofthe strand along and within the confined channel by forcing a current ofair therethrough toward the winding position.

9. A method of spinning a continuous strand of fibrous material, whichconsists in passing the strand through a predetermined channel to astrand winding position, twisting the strand, passing a current of airindependently of liquid through the channel in the direction of movementof the strand, and confining the strand and air to an area within thechannel preventing substantial ballooning of the strand and causing theair to conduct the strand through the channel.

10. A method of threading a' strand through a strand receiving channeland into a spinning pot, which consists in confining the exit end of thechannel within the spinning pot to a relatively small passage, forcingthrough the passage and into and through the spinning pot a current ofair of such intensity as will carry a strand through the passage andinto the spinning pot,

and introducing the leading end of the strand into the entrance end ofthe passage.

11. A method of threading a strand through a strand receiving channeland into a spinning pot, which consists in confining the channel to arelatively small passage therethrough and therealong, drawing a currentof air through the passage to a point beyond the exit end of the passageand through the spinning pot, the current of air being of such intensityas will draw a strand through the passage, and introducing the leadingend of the strand into the entrance end of the passage.

12. A method -of spinning a continuous strand of fibrous material, whichconsists in moving the strand longitudinally through a drawfield,turning the strand on its axis by force applied thereing the strand fromthe drawfield through a confined channel to a winding position, twistingthe strand at the winding position while so holding the strand that suchtwist passes upwardly into the drawfield.

13. A method of pot spinning a continuous strand of fibrous material bycentrifugal force to effect the twisting of the 'strand fibers aroundthe yarn axis and produce a cheese of substantially round and uniformyarn, which consists in centrifugally winding the strand and effectingtwisting thereof in a channel of substantial length, and simultaneouslytherewith preventing lateral movement of the strand in one directionbeyond the central axis of the twist and throughout a substantial lengthof the channel while leaving the strand free to move laterally in theopposite direction and through the channel and the twist thereof to passfreely along the strand through the channel.

14.'The method defined in claim 13 in which the strand is initially fedinto said channel and simultaneously therewith guided laterally thereoftoward and to the said central axis of the twist as the strand enterssaid substantial length of the channel in which the strand is preventedfrom said lateral movement, and in which the portion of the strandextending therefrom to the winding position is twisted simultaneouslywith and solely by the centrifugal winding of the strand.

15. A method of spinning a continuous strand of fibrous material, whichconsists in moving the strand longitudinally through adrawfield, tumingthe strand on its axis by force applied thereto between the ends of thedrawfield, effecting a teetering action thereon in the drawfield,passing the strand from the drawfield to a winding position, andtwisting the strand at the winding position while holding the strandthat such twist passes upwardly into the drawfield, the path of movementof the strand from the drawfield to the winding position being in astraight and substantially vertical line.

JOHN J. MCCANN.

